The Riverside City Council set a public hearing for their next regular meeting, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m., to hear from the public regarding proposed updates to the parking ordinance. The proposed changes include the placement of “No Parking Anytime” and “No Parking From Here to Corner” signs along many downtown streets.

While some updates to the parking ordinance are still being drafted —  for instance, the council discussed the removal of proposed parking restrictions on Fourth Street between Ella Street and Rose Street —  the city plans to send a letter to all impacted addresses ahead of the Oct. 19 public hearing.

“If you have people who complain, who say, ‘Hey, I need parking there, I don’t have a back entrance to my driveway or to my property,’ then we can change the code again, take down the signs,” said councilperson Edgar McGuire.

The council hopes to hear from any concerned residents at that the public hearing, but also acknowledges that they likely won’t be able to make everyone happy.

“You have to go for the welfare of the better part of the community and not just for individuals,” city administrator Christine Yancey said. “You have to go for the betterment of the community.”

Dan Culp of Carl A. Nelson and Company addressed the council with a presentation about his company’s construction management capabilities regarding a proposed community center to be built in Riverside.

Culp explained the benefits of using a construction management company as opposed to traditional contractors.

“Being a construction manager, we do become your advocate because we work directly for you, as a city,” Culp said. “We’re not working for a contractor, we’re not out doing the work ourselves, so we don’t have a dog in the fight… we’re looking out for your best interest both from the design side and from the construction side.”

Carl A. Nelson and Company managed the Kalona Community Center’s renovation and addition, which won the All-Star Community Award from the Iowa League of Cities and the Excellence of Energy Efficient Design Award from the American Institute of Architects, both in 2019.

The City of Kalona had already hired the architect for the project before Carl A. Nelson and Co. became involved, but the project was running $3 million over-budget. After the involvement of the construction management company, however, the project finished on schedule and under budget.

Carl A. Nelson and Co. was also instrumental in the building of the YMCA of Washington County, FunCity Turf in Burlington, and the Roosevelt Recreation Center and Cambridge SportsPlex in Fairfield.

In order to give the council time to consider the information presented by Culp, decisions regarding hiring Carl A. Nelson and Company have been tabled until the Oct. 19 meeting or later meetings.

In other action, the council approved three change orders from MMS Consultants, Inc. regarding the Fourth Street Improvements Project and the Safe Routes to School Project. The first change order increased the amount of the contract by $1,120 due to the need for seeding narrow strips less than two feet wide behind the sidewalk. Sod has been used in similar areas with mixed results, therefore MMS Consultants recommended the use of seed, fertilizer, and hydromulch.

The second change order requested $100 to be added to the original contract in order to replace a small section of sidewalk that was possibly damaged during the scope of the contractor’s work.

The third change order requested a total increase of $12,340 to be paid to All American Concrete for additional excavation, topsoil, and sod needed to allow for flatter grades and better transitions to existing yards and property in the scope of the Safe Routes to School Project. All three change orderers were approved unanimously by the council.

The council also voted, 4-1, to accept a bid from Rhino Industries for the replacement of water plant membranes. Although Rhino Industries’ bid was not the lowest —  it was $4,087.08 higher than the lowest bid from Consolidated Water Solutions — Wastewater Superintendent Bill Stukey said Riverside has regularly performed other business with the company, such as buying chemicals and other materials. Additionally, Rhino Industries is willing to assist in the install and removal of membranes at no additional cost. The motion passed with Redinger casting the dissenting vote.